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U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson will be in court next week for a half-day trial to determine whether his 24-year marriage was valid in the first place, or if his wife was still legally married to another man when they wed. Lawyers for Grayson, D-Orlando, argue that, unbeknownst to him, Lolita Grayson was still married to a man named Robert Allen Carson — whom she claimed she had divorced — at the time of their wedding April 28, 1990. Circuit Judge Bob LeBlanc is set to hear testimony on that issue Jan. 22. Attorneys for Grayson were in court Thursday , when LeBlanc denied a recently filed request by Lolita Grayson's attorney, Mercedes Wechsler, to be removed from the case. ...

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U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson will be in court next week for a half-day trial to determine whether his 24-year marriage was valid in the first place, or if his wife was still legally married to another man when they wed.Lawyers for Grayson, D-Orlando, argue...

If you move away from Central Florida, almost nobody will get your reference to the Appliance Direct guy. Or John Arie, Jr. of "It's HUGE!" fame. Or Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.
These are our celebrities. They're our elected officials....

Mingo’s Restaurant in downtown Orlando has closed its doors, in a development apparently related to the scandal that engulfed one of its investor-owners, Nikesh Patel of Orlando.
Meanwhile, another Mingo’s location in East Orlando, at the Doubletree by...

Facing criminal charges of fraud and a $72 million lawsuit, Orlando businessman Nikesh Patel has agreed to sell five hotels, two multimillion-dollar homes, several luxury brand watches, a Rolls Royce, a Lamborghini, and gold coins.
But Patel hasn’t...

There’s a ripple effect spreading from the alleged loan fraud of Orlando businessman Nik Patel, who was arrested on Sept. 30 on federal charges that he lied about $179 million in loans he sold through his company First Farmers Financial.
The latest...

A Milwaukee company suing Orlando businessman Nik Patel over alleged loan fraud has expanded its damage claim to $537.5 million.
The company, Pennant Management, also included a new defendant in the lawsuit – Patel's business partner Timothy Fisher – and...

Orlando businessman Nikesh A. Patel has been arrested by federal authorities on fraud charges.
Authorities say Patel fraudulently sold $150 million in loans to an unidentified Milwaukee company. The FBI alleges he sold the loans as being guaranteed by...

Long before federal authorities arrested young hotshot hotelier Nik Patel on massive fraud charges this month, there were plenty of red flags about Patel's background.
His résumé was full of holes.
He claimed to have graduated from the...

Two hotel renovation projects in Orlando are in limbo in the wake of businessman Nik Patel’s recent arrest on federal allegations of fraudulently selling $150 million in loans to a finance company.
Patel is a financier who has invested millions of...

Legal troubles mushroomed this week for Orlando businessman Nik Patel, who had gainedprominenceduring the past two years renovating Central Florida hotels.Patel, 30, was arrested Tuesday on federal allegations of fraudulently selling...

Two local law firms are trying to figure out who sent dozens of accusatory letters to bar associations across the country about one, using the other's return address.
Someone sent anonymous letters about Brownstone Law, a Winter Park-based appellate...

Out of here: Kelli Cook after nearly six years at News 13.
Wednesday was Cook's last day. She had started at the Orlando cable news channel in May 2008.
She has moved to ABC affiliate WATN in Memphis, where she will work as a weekend anchor and a...

Helping a local charity paid off big time for Dr. G. She won a Cadillac valued at $35,000.
Dr. Jan Garavaglia, the chief medical examiner for Orange and Osceola counties, took part in mammoth fund-raiser Saturday night attended by 1,900. Local and...

At the George Zimmerman trial, the testimony of key witness Rachel Jeantel generated wide interest and strong reactions Wednesday afternoon.
Her testimony was playing on HLN, CNN and MSNBC. Fox News Channel carried her for a while but cut to other...

About a decade ago, Florida leaders watched as prescription drugs began to wreak havoc across the country.
Drugs prescribed to treat pain became known as "hillbilly heroin," and in a matter of years, the epidemic found its way to the Sunshine...

Get ready, Sanford. Jane Velez-Mitchell is coming to town to cover the George Zimmerman trial. She will be there Monday, HLN said Wednesday.
CNN's Ashleigh Banfield is anchoring from Sanford, and she will remain there next week, the channel said. CNN has...

Thank goodness for the legal analysts. They do help us make it through the high-profile trials by explaining court procedure, analyzing the lawyers' strategies and assessing the witnesses' performances.
At the George Zimmerman trial, th

How is the George Zimmerman case understood?
CNN's Chris Cuomo explained it this way Monday morning: "You have a man [Zimmerman] who pretty much has proven, on the record at trial, said ugly things about people like Trayvon Martin, ignored...

You know Dr. G, and now you know Dr. D.
Dr. Vincent Di Maio, an expert forensic pathologist, won raves for his testimony Tuesday at the George Zimmerman trial. Dr. D was dynamic, smart and unflappable.
CNN's Ashleigh Banfield swooned over Di Maio's...